The invention relates to apparatus for supporting a fluid-containing tank and its attached dispensing hose in a manner which makes it exceptionally easy and convenient to store both tank and hose, as well as to remove one or both from such stored condition, and even to transport them while stored.
A commonly used item in various pursuits consists of an elongated, cylindrical tank which contains (or is adapted to contain) a fluid such as acetylene, for example, and a hose through which this fluid is to be dispensed. Such a tank is typically a foot and a half or so high, and six to eight inches in diameter. The hose connection is typically made at one end of the cylinder. While the hose can be detached when not in use, this is rarely done unless the tank is to be out of use for an extended period of time. Far more commonly, the hose is left attached to the tank between uses and even while it is being moved from place to place between uses.
The problem which this creates is how to store the hose while not in use but still attached to the tank. What makes this problem even more acute is the fact that such a hose is often quite long, lengths of two or three feet, or even more being not uncommon. It is also usually quite flexible. Together, this gives rise to a kind of "tail", which dangles from the tank connection and which is extremely awkward to deal with. A further complication arises from the fact that the fluids which are stored in such tanks and dispensed through the hose are often quite noxious (acetylene being a good example). Therefore, it becomes important that the dispensing hose be treated with care to prevent it from becoming damaged during storage and transportation and subsequently releasing unwanted fluid during use.
Perhaps the simplest way to deal with this situation has been to just coil up the hose and drape the resulting coil loosely over the projection which commonly exists at the connection between hose and tank. At that connection, there is often also a tank shut-off valve and/or gauge and this has provided additional or alternative support for the coiled hose. This primitive approach clearly left much to be desired. It provided no protection for the hose, it left the hose only poorly secured during transportation, it interfered with the operation of whatever valving or gauging was to take place at the tank-to-hose connection, etc.
More sophisticated approaches have also been proposed. These involved essentially providing special support structures for the hose adjacent to the tank. Several varieties of these are shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: Bova 2,725,208; Bussey 2,757,958; Jones 2,384,174; Cathey 4,506,853; Strohl 4,573,665; Walker 4,625,949. No doubt there are still others as well. However, it is believed to be apparent that none of these solved all the various problems. In particular, none solved the problem of providing substantial protection for the hose. Several also remained subject to severe tangling, as shown most clearly in Strohl U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,665. All except perhaps Jones U.S. Pat. No. 2,384,174 did nothing to promote convenient transportation, and that one did so only at the sacrifice of accessibility to the tank-to-hose connection and control valve.